Machine for lasting, sewing, and trimming shoes



Out. 28, 1952 w. G. BIRCH 2,615,186

momma FOR LASTING, SEWING, AND TRIMMING SHOES Filed Feb. 16, 1951 s Sfieets-Sheet 1 rweniar: WY/Iam arc/2 .By Ms flztorney I Oct. 28, 1952 w. 5. BIRCH 2,615,186

MACHINE FOR LASTING, SEWING, AND TRIMMING SHOES Filed Feb. 16, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 By. a

W. G. BIRCH Oct. 28, 1952 MACHINE FOR LASTING, SEWING, AND TRIMMING SHOES Filed Feb. 16, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR LASTING, SEWING, Ann TRIMMING SHOES William G. Birch, Middleton, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Fleming'- ton, N. J., a" corporation of New Jersey Application February 16, 1951, Serial No. 211,240

or. sole member in a stitch'down type of shoe,

which machine of the same general construction as that disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent, Ser. No. 207,26L'filedJanuary 23, 19-51, in the name of- Ralph E, Sutton and William E. Trask.

In the machine of the Sutton and Trask application the stitch forming devices include a straight needle anzla looper and a 'shoe is lasted between a pair of cooper'atingrolls which grip continuously the upper and sole member of the shoe as the operation progresses, In the manufactureof shoesfor which the Sutton and Trash machine is intended to be employed, the upper and sole member are trimmed close toth'e seam line during thesewing operationby a'reciprocating knife acting between the needleand the gripping area of the lasting rolls: The knife is slidingly mounted to reciprocate in substantially parallel relation to the needle but the'operating parts of the machine are of necessity disposed'so close together about the operating point; of the needle and the knife, that inproviding clearance for the parts the strength and convenience in adjustment of the machine are somewhat impaired. In that machine the trimming knife is mounted in aguideway formed in a needle guard at the endof a movable stud on which the upper gripping lasting roll rotates. This stud is mounted for swinging movement to enable the upper roll to grip and release a shoe. to release the shoe or as the thickness of the-work increases the guideway for the lmife is moved out of proper operating relationship with its mechanism in a manner tending tocrampthe movements of the knife and to render the adjustment of the machine difilcult forsmooth operation.

The trimming knife of the Sutton and Trask machine acts in severing the upper and sole member against a projection on the lower solegripping roll, the projectioncomprising a flanged rim spaced from the forward edge of the lower roll to form a shoulder behind which the cutting edge of the knife dips. Such arrangement is effective where the thickness of the Work operated upon its the stud swings with the roll 7 does not vary substantially. In lasting and sewing a shoe composed of thicker stock than that for which the machine was adjusted it frequently is necessary in the prior machine to relocate the trimming knife with relation tothe flanged rim on the lower sole gripping roll.

The objects of the present invention are to avoid the above noted difficulties in adjustment and convenience in operation of a machine-similar to that disclosed in the Sutton and'Trask application and to provide a machine which is dura' ble and reliable in operation without the necessity of complicated or intricate adjustments requiring unusual skill or "experience on the part of an operator forthe machine. One feature of the invention, accordingly resides in a machine for lasting and sewing stitchd'own type shoes having upper and soleen'g'ag'ing rolls between which the shoe parts'are gripped and fed, a knife slidably mounted to act between the sewing point and the gripping area of the rolls anda work support provided with a work engaging surface substantially flush" with that portion of a roll periphery along which the sole member passes and also provided with shearing means cooperating with the knife between the needle and the roll." The arrangement of the work support assists in the severing action of the knife without requiring the use of an extension on the lower sole gripping roll as in the Sutton and Trask machine, so that satisfactory operation *of the knife is not dependent upon'close. adjustment of either of the gripping rolls. To avoid the use of a guideway for the trimming knife supported by a stud on which the movable upper gripping roll rotates, the machinehereinafter disclosed has its trimming knife slidably mounted in a fixed guideway inclined along theseam line laterally of the needle andlocated in such position that the cutting edge of the knife acts betweenlthen'eedle and'thelower lasting roll while theg'uideway' for the'knife extends to one side of the needle" bove the line of the seam inserted, the actuating mechanism for the knife not being restricted in size or strength as a result of lack of space atthis location. The guideway for the trimming'kriife be'ingfixed to the frame oftlie' machine there is no possibility for theknife tobe displaced 'f-r'oin proper operating relationship with its mechanism or from the shearing means with which it' cooperates as the thickness of the stock operated upon is changed. Conveniently, this guideway also is formed with a guard for the needle.

Another feature of the invention contributing to the reliability of operation and the ease of adjustment between the trimming knife and. the shearing means on the work support comprises a shearing edge on a work support against which the trimming knife acts, the work support being extended rearwardly of the machine behind the needle with its work engaging surface along which the sole passes substantially flush with the lower lasting roll. By this arrangement the use of a flanged rim on the lower sole gripping roll is avoided and it is possible to adjust the shearing edge on the work support accurately to the cutting position of the knife without changing the adjustment of the lower lasting roll, the work support being readily shiftable toward and from the cutting position of the knife.

These and other features of the invention as hereinafter described and claimed will be apparent in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and in section, looking from the right of a portion of a stitchdown thread lasting machine embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of an adjusting clamp collar in the machine of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of portions of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a right side sectional view on an enlarged scale of parts surrounding the sewing point in the machine, taken along the line IVIV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar side sectional detail view of a trimming knife and its guideway in the machine, taken along the line V-V of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lower sole engaging roll and the work support in the machine; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the trimming knife clamp and its mounting taken along the line VII-VII of Fig. 3.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is similar to that disclosed in the Sutton and Trask application, above identified, and is intended to operate progressively upon a slip-lasted shoe, which when completed is of the same construction as disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent, Ser. No. 32,313, filed June 11, 1948 in the name of Benjamin F. Parrelli, now Patent No. 2,566,361, granted September 4, 1951. A shoe of the type disclosed in the application has an upper 2, a doubler 4, an upper lining 6 and a flexible sock lining 8. The upper assembly comprises the upper, doubler and lining. About the toe and heel ends of the shoe, these parts are formed with lasting allowances similar to those provided in a stitchdown shoe. The lasting allowances enable the shoe to be lasted and the upper to be drawn into close fitting relation to a last 9 on which it is mounted, at least about the toe and heel ends, in a lasting and sewing machine corresponding to that described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,864,510, granted June 21, 1932 in the name of B. T. Leveque.

The machine of the Leveque patent has been modified by the inventors Sutton and Trask with the addition of a reciprocatory knife acting to trim the lasting allowances of the shoe parts in close proximity to the seam inserted by the machine. In the machine .of the present invention the mounting and actuating mechanism for the knife has been further improved upon and a sturdier more readily adjustable shearing member has been provided to assist the trimming knife in severing with a clean cut the lasting allowances of the shoe parts.

The illustrated lasting and sewing machine comprises a pair of intermittently rotating rolls [0 and 12 for gripping between their peripheral surfaces the marginal portions within the lasting allowances of the out turned upper and sock lining of the shoe. The upper engaging roll I0 is rotatably mounted on a vertically swinging stud l4 movable toward and from the lower sole engaging roll l2 to clamp and release the shoe parts operated upon. To enable vertical swinging movement to be imparted to the stud l4 it is clamped to a member [6 which is pivoted at [8 upon a fixed portion of a main frame 20 of the machine.

To rotate the roll 10 it is connected to mechanism including a helical gear 22 engaging a similar gear 24 fixed to one end of a ratchet shaft 26. To clamp the shoe parts in operating position the member i6 is acted upon by a compression spring 21 confined between a lug on the member l6 and a pair of check nuts 28 threaded on a pin 30 pivotally mounted at 32 on a clamping lever 34, the pin 30 bein slidingly mounted in the lug on the member l6. To rotate the lower sole engaging roll it is provided with a helical gear 36 engaged by a similar gear 38 fixed to a ratchet shaft 40 rotating simultaneously with the rotation of the shaft 26.

To complete the lasting operation on the shoe and to secure the upper and sock lining against the last on which they are mounted stitches are inserted and tightened between the gripping area of the rolls on the shoe parts and the last. For this purpose the machine has cooperating stitch formin devices comprising an eye pointed needle 42 operating across the diameters of the lasting rolls and a rotary loop taker 44 secured to the outer end of a main sewing shaft 46 mounted concentrically with the lower lasting roll l2.

As in the machine of the Sutton and Trask application, the present machine has a reciprocating knife with its cutting edge acting between the gripping area of the lasting rolls on the upper and sole member, and the point of needle operation. However, in the machine of the Sutton and Trask application the knife reciprocates in a substantially vertical guideway carried by the outer end of the swinging stud I4, so that as the upper engaging roll moves toward and from clampin position the angle of the trimming knife changes with relation to the needle. The angle of the knife also changes when work of a different thickness is operated upon. Thus, when operating upon shoes of heavy stock the knife will be disposed with relation to the needle at a greater angle forwardly and rearwardly than when thinner stock is operated upon. The difference in angle of the knife may be so great as to require a different adjustment to be made in order that the operation of the lasting and stitch forming devices will not be affected adversely.

To insure uniform operation of the trimming knife and to avoid the necessity of frequent adjustments in the machine of the Sutton and Trask application, the trimming knife 48 of the illustrated machine is slidably mounted in a laterally inclined guideway 50 (see Fig. 3) formed in a block 52 comprising a guard for the needle fixed on the frame 20 of the machine. The

block 52 is secured to a bracket 54 which in turn is mounted rigidly on the machine frame 20. At its right end the bracket 54 has a downwardly projecting slotted lug 55, through the slot of which passes a clamp screw 56- having its end threaded into the block 52. Loosenin the clamp. screw 56 enables the block 52 to be raised or lowered as required by the thickness of the work operated upon but this adjustment does not affect substantially the location of theknife with relation to the seam inserted by the machine. To secure the left end of the block 52 it has clamped to it by a screw 58 a slotted plate 60 fastened by a screw 62 passing through the bracket 54 and threaded into the plate 66. The plate 60 also is slotted to receive the clamp screw 58 and to enable the guard block to be raised or lowered when the clamp screw. 58 is loosened. The

guard block has a vertical groove 64 to receive a needle supporting bar 66. To guard the needle the block 52 at the right side of the needle has a projection 63 and the guideway 50 for the knife is formed inthe projection. To enable the knife to act on the upper and sole member opposite to and rearwardly of the needle the guideway is inclined to the needle along the line of the seam, indicated at it. By reason of the inclination of the guideway for the knife the upper endof the knife extends clear of the needle carrying bar 56 and lasting rolls at a location where more space is available than in the Sutton and Trask machine for the mechanism for actuating the knife. Also, the horizontal component of the inclined trimming knife assists the movements of the shoe through the rolls in the direction of work feed.

The mechanism for actuating the knife is driven by the needle mechanism and includes a block 12 to which the upper end of the knife is clamped. For this purpose the upper end 7 of the knife is slotted and surrounds a clamp screw 14 (see Figs. 5 and '7) threaded into the block 12 and a pin it forms a'pivotal cormection for the block if. The screw 14 passes through a U-shaped clamp 78-having projecting flanges contacting with the portions of the knife surrounding its upper slotted end. The ends of the pivot 16 are engaged with the perforated lower ends of a pair of links 88; in turn pivotally connected by a pin 82 (Fig. 3) with an intermediate part of a lever 84. The lever iii is fulcrumed on a pin 86 mounted in an upwardly extending ear on the bracket 54. The outer end of the lever 84 carries a pin til passing through the lower ends of a pair of links 83 pivotally connected at 90 to.

a block 92 clamped to the needle supporting bar 66'.

The lower end of the guard block 52 reaches down into close proximity and in some instances may contact with the outer surface of the upper so that it provides a steadying effect on the work close to the sewing point. The lower end of the guard block is disposed between the upper engaging roll it and the needle, and to clear the outer end of the upper roll with its supporting stud M, the guard block 52 has an arcuate cutaway surface within which the stud l4 swings with the member l6 as the upper engaging roll moves toward and from the lower sole engaging roll l2 (see Fig. 4).

To provide a shearing edge against which the trimming knife acts the illustrated machine has a work support 9t, shown in Fig. 6, formed with a sole engaging surface 96 at its upper end substantially flush with the portion of the lower roll periphery, upon which surface the $0168. of a shoe" rests. In the machine of the Sutton and Trask application the sole engaging surface of thework support does not extend rearwardly beyond the needle. In the illustrated machine the surface 96 of the work support extends rearwardly of the needle at both sides of the needle and the surface is intersected by an opening 98 through which the needle passes. In this way the rear face of the work support is made flat toformashearing edge I09 from one side of the needle to the other side along which edge the sole passes '(see Figs. 4- and 6). The knife 48 is sharpened with a bevel I62 (Fig. 5) inclined downwardly and forwardly so that the cuttin edge of the knife may enter between the shearing edge of the work support and the lower sole engaging roll I 2 even though the work support extends into close proximity with the lower roll.

The work sup-port is readily adjustable with relation to the knife by reason of its mounting on the frame 20 of the machine and is secured in place by means of afbolt it"? (Fig. 1) passing through a-slotted projection of the frame 28 into threaded engagement with the work support to clamp it securely against a horizontal-surface of the frame. The work support also has a for-' wardly and rearwardly extending tongue I05 (Fig. 3) fitting a groove (not shown) in the frame projection. Upon loosening the clamp 'bolt 14 rotation of a setscrew Hi6 shifts the work support forwardly or forms a rearward stop as required, the inner end of the setscrew engaging a fixed portion of the machine.

To afford accurate and convenient adjustment of the position of the lower feed roll Ii] along its axis of rotation so that there will be no possibility of its interference with the cutting position of the trimming knife the hub of the lower feed roll, which is rotatably mounted in the'frame 20, is surrounded by a twopart clamp collar I08 the parts of which are secured together by draw screws ill] (see Fig 2). In the prior lasting and sewing machine this clamp collar is secured to the hub'of the lower lasting roll [2 merely by the tightening action of the draw screws. In the illustrated machine the inner surface of the clamp collar has screw threads 2 engaging corresponding threads on the end of the lower feed roll hub. To adjust the clamp collar H38 of the present machine it is necessary not only to loosen the draw screws I H] but also to rotate the collar on the hub of the lower feed roll. By so doing the collar is brought accurately into close fitting engagementwith a bearing portion of the frame in which the hub is rotatably mounted, an opposite axial thrust on the feed roll hub being taken up by the side surface of the helical gear 36 on the bearing portion of the frame.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and a particular embodiment having been described what is claimed is:

l. A machine for lasting stitchdown shoes having a main frame, stitch forming devices in the frame including a needle, upper and sole engaging rolls between which the outturned upper and sole member of a shoe are gripped, a member on which the upper engaging roll is rotatably mounted pivoted on the frame to swing toward and from the sole engaging roll, means for rotating the rolls tofeed' the shoe and to draw the upper against a last on which the shoe is mounted, a knife slidably mounted with its cutting edge acting between the point of operation of the needle and the gripping area of the rolls and mechanism for actuating the knife to sever the upper and sole member, in combination with a work support having a work engaging surface substantially flush with the portion of the roll periphery upon which the sole rests and having shearing means along which the sole passes cooperating with the knife between the needle and the roll and a laterally inclined guideway for the knife.

2. A machine for lasting stitchdown shoes having a main frame, stitch forming devices in the frame including a needle, upper and sole engaging rolls between which the outturned upper and sole member of a shoe are gripped, a member on which the upper engaging roll is rotatably mounted pivoted on the frame to swing toward and from the sole engaging roll, means for rotating the rolls to feed the shoe and to draw the upper against a last on which the shoe is mounted, a knife slidably mounted with its cutting edge acting between the point of operation of the needle and the gripping area of the rolls and mechanism for actuating the knife to sever the upper and sole member, in combination with a work support having a work engaging surface substantially flush with the portion of the roll periphery upon which the sole rests and having shearing means along which the sole passes cooperating with the knife between the needle and the roll, and a laterally inclined guideway for the knife on the frame between the needle and the upper engaging roll.

3. A machine for lasting stitchdown shoes having a main frame, stitch forming devices in the frame including a needle, upper and sole engaging rolls between which the outturned upper and sole member of a shoe are gripped, a member on which the upper engaging roll is rotatably mounted pivoted on the frame to swing toward and from the sole engaging roll, means for rotating the rolls to feed the shoe and to .draw the upper against a, last on which the shoe is mounted, a knife slidably mounted with its cutting edge acting between the point of operation of the needle and the gripping area of the rolls and mechanism for actuating the knife to sever the upper and sole member, in combination with a work support having a work engaging surface substantially flush with the portion of the roll periphery upon which the sole rests and having a shearing edge cooperating with the knife between the needle and the roll along which the sole passes, a guard on the frame for the needle between the needle and the upper engaging roll, having a laterally inclined guideway for the knife and extending along the seam line in the direction of work feed to cause the horizontal component of knife movement to assist the movements of the shoe through the rolls.

4. A machine for lasting stitchdown shoes having a main frame, stitch forming devices in the frame including a needle, upper and sole engaging rolls between which the outturned upper and sole member of a shoe are gripped, means for rotating the rolls to feed the shoe and to draw the upper against a last on which the shoe is mounted progressively along the shoe, a knife slidably mounted between the point of operation of the needle and the gripping area of the rolls and mechanism for actuating the knife to sever the upper and sole member, in combination with a work support having a work engaging surface substantially flush with the portion of the roll periphery upon which the sole rests and having a shearing edge cooperating with the knife between the needle and the roll along which the sole passes.

5. A machine for, lasting stitchdown shoes having a main frame, stitch forming devices in the frame including a needle, upper and sole engaging rolls between which the outturned upper and sole member of a shoe are gripped, means for rotating the rolls to feed the shoe and to draw the upper against a last on which the shoe is mounted progressively along the shoe, a knife slidably mounted between the point of operation of the needle and the gripping area of the rolls and mechanism for actuating the knife to sever the upper and sole member, in combination with a work support having a work engaging surface substantially flush with the portion of the roll periphery upon which the sole rests and having a, shearing edge cooperating with the knife between the needle and the roll along which the sole passes and a guard on the frame for the needle between the needle and the upper engaging roll having a guideway for the knife.

6'. A machine for lasting stitchdown shoes having a main frame, stitch forming devices in the frame including a needle, upper and sole engaging rolls between which the out turned upper and sole member of a shoe are gripped, means for rotating the rolls to feed the shoe and to draw the upper against a last on which the shoe is mounted progressively along the shoe, a knife slidably mounted between the point of operation of the needle and the gripping area of the rolls and mechanism for actuating the knife to sever the upper and sole member, in combination with a work support having a work engaging surface substantially flush with the portion of the roll periphery upon which the sole rests and having a shearing edge cooperating with the knife between the needle and the roll along which the sole passes and a uard on the frame for the needle between the needle and the upper engaging roll provided with a projection at the side of the needle against which the shoe is drawn by the rolls and a guideway for the knife in the projection inclined to the needle along the line of the seam in the direction of feed to bring the cutting edge of the knife against the upper and sole member opposite to the needle, between it and the gripping area of the lasting rolls while the upper end of the knif extends clear of the needle and rolls.

7. A machine for lasting stitchdown shoes having a main frame, stitch forming devices in the frame including a needle, upper and sole engaging rolls between which the out turned upper and sole member of a shoe are gripped, means for rotating the rolls to feed the shoe and to draw the upper against a last on which the shoe is mounted progressively along the shoe, a knife slidably mounted between the point of operation of the needle and the gripping area of the rolls and mechanism for actuating the knife to sever the upper and sole member, in combination with a work support having a work engaging surface substantially flush with the portion of the roll periphery upon which the sole rests and having a shearing edge cooperating with the knife between the needle and the roll along which the sole passes and an internally threaded clamp collar engaging a threaded portion of a hub on the sole engaging roll to adjust said roll along its axis of rotation to prevent interference with the cutting position of the trimming knife.

8. A machine for lasting stitchdown shoes having a main frame, stitch forming devices in the frame including a needle, upper and sole engaging rolls between which the out turned upper and sole member of a shoe are gripped, a member on which the upper engaging roll is rotatably mounted pivoted on the frame to swing toward and from the sole engaging roll, means for rotating the rolls to feed the shoe and to draw the upper against a last on which the shoe is mounted, a knife slidably mounted with its cutting edge acting between the point of operation of the needle and the gripping area of the rolls and mechanism for actuating the knife to sever the upper and sol member, in combination with a work support having a work engaging surface No references cited. 

